Bruce bewitched by angel Gabriel

STEVE BRUCE was left cursing the name of Gabriel Agbonlahor for the second time this season as Wigan’s recent revival was brought to a grinding halt in the JJB Stadium mud.

Just seven weeks ago, Agbonlahor scored Aston Villa’s winner in a 2-1 victory at Birmingham when Bruce was in charge of the Blues.

Bruce may have since joined Wigan, but yesterday it was a case of deja vu for the Latics manager as Agbonlahor again proved to be a thorn in his side by netting the deciding goal.

“There was a time when he very nearly decided to play across the city at Birmingham before Martin O’Neill arrived,” recalled Bruce. “Now he has come back to haunt me on a couple of occasions, but the kid is a good player.”

Agbonlahor’s 70th-minute near-post header off the underside of the crossbar was enough to send Wigan back into the Premier League’s bottom three on a wild, wet and windy afternoon.

Despite that, Bruce is happy enough with what has unfolded in his first six matches in charge, believing everything is in place for survival.

“I have been so pleased with the application of the players, their desire, and the one thing I asked for above all else when I first arrived, intensity,” added Bruce.

“Their response has since been fantastic, and we look far better defensively.”

In the wake of the 4-4 Boxing Day draw at Chelsea, and given the atrocious conditions, Villa were unable to take a foothold in the game in the first half.

When Titus Bramble scored his first goal for Wigan, and his first for 16 months in the 28th minute with a powerful header from six yards, it was a deserved opener for the Latics.

Yet Villa applied themselves to the task and the elements after the break and were level courtesy of a header from Curtis Davies in the 55th minute, prior to Agbonlahor’s winner 15 minutes later.

WIGAN (4-4-2): Kirkland 6, Melchiot 6, Scharner 5, Bramble 6, Kilbane 5, Valencia 5, Landzaat 5 (Olembe 80, 5), Brown 6, Taylor 6, Sibierski 5 (Aghahowa 63, 5), Bent 6.

Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Granqvist, Skoko.

ASTON VILLA (4-4-2): Carson 6, Mellberg 6, Laursen 6, Davies 8, Bouma 7, Maloney 5 (Gardner 60, 5), Reo-Coker 6, Barry 7, Young 7 (Petrov 90, 5), Carew 5 (Moore 11, 6), Agbonlahor 6.

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Harewood.

REFEREE: Howard Webb (South Yorkshire) 7: A common-sense performance that many of his peers would do well to emulate.

MATCH RATING: *** Spirited fight-back from Villa, who continue to improve. Wigan were right to feel aggrieved at earning nothing.